HCPCS code A9579: MRI contrast agent, unspecified agent, per mL2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What A9579 covers

This HCPCS Level II code identifies a gadolinium-based contrast agent for MRI when the administered product is not represented by a more specific code. These agents are administered intravenously to improve visualization on MRI. Radiology departments, imaging centers, and other facilities furnishing the contrast may report the drug item with the MRI service.

Medicare assigns status X, meaning the physician fee schedule does not pay this code because it is not a physician service under the Medicare statute. When covered, it is treated as a Part B drug and generally paid using CMS quarterly Average Sales Price drug pricing files. Coverage is left to the Medicare contractor’s judgment. One billing unit represents 1 mL; report units according to the volume furnished. Use a product-specific code when the administered agent has a more specific HCPCS code.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where A9579 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

A9579 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the A9579 rate is calculated

Each of A9579’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for A9579

A9579 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

A9579 compared with similar codes

How to choose

A9575Gadoterate injectionPer 0.1 mL

A9575 identifies gadoterate meglumine and uses 0.1 mL units. This code is for a gadolinium-based MRI agent not represented by a more specific code and uses 1 mL units.

A9576ProHance injectionPer 1 mL

A9576 identifies the ProHance multipack presentation. Use this code when the administered agent is not represented by a more specific HCPCS code.

A9577MultiHance injectionPer mL

A9577 identifies MultiHance. Use this code only when the administered agent is not represented by a more specific HCPCS code.

A9585Gadobutrol injectionPer 0.1 mL

A9585 identifies gadobutrol injection. Use this code only when the administered agent is not represented by a more specific HCPCS code.

Codes related to A9579

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates